Tuesday, 4 June 2019

GOVERNMENT has invited the Apex Council for fresh civil
servants’ salary talks tomorrow after indicating that salaries would be
adjusted against the prevailing inflation levels, not the foreign currency
exchange rate.

In March, civil servants received a salary increase of $400
million as part of their cost of living adjustment, with Government promising
another review this month.

In an interview yesterday, Apex Council president Mrs
Cecilia Alexander confirmed that the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC)
would sit tomorrow to discuss an adjustment of civil servants’ salaries.

She said the Apex Council would sit today to agree on
proposals they will present to the Government as requested by the workers.

“The Government has written to the Apex Council inviting us
for a meeting on Wednesday. The main issue on the agenda is reviewing civil
servants’ salaries. Apex Council will sit on Tuesday to discuss and agree on
the salary increment that the civil servants want.

“Previously, we had set the minimum salary at $1 700. We’ll
definitely demand more than that because it’s no longer adequate due to the
prevailing situation,” said Mrs Alexander.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai
Nzenza could not be reached for comment yesterday on her mobile phone. Herald